United States Representative, District 50

Scott Peters is the Democratic representative for California's 50th District. He has held the seat since 2013. He worked for 15 years as an environmental lawyer. He also worked as an economist for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Before Congress he served on the San Diego City Council. He became the city's first Council President. He later chaired the San Diego Unified Port District.

He describes himself as a civic leader. He says he is focused on jobs, the environment and quality of life in San Diego. In August 2026 he voted to keep U.S. funding for Israel's war in Gaza in place. He was one of three San Diego Democrats in Congress who voted that way. A fourth voted to cut the funding. He co-chairs a bipartisan group in Congress focused on the federal budget.

He promises to keep working on jobs in biomedical research and small business. He also promises to protect health care access, Social Security and Medicare. He lists climate change, veterans' services and education among his other priorities.

Steve Cohen spent 50 years in television news management. Most recently he was news director at KUSI-TV in San Diego for 20 years. He left that role after the station was bought by Nexstar Media Group in 2023. Since then he has worked as a television consultant. He has not served in the California Legislature or U.S. Congress.

He says a Republican group asked him to run. He says they wanted a candidate they considered serious. He calls himself an outsider who has spent his career watching politicians rather than being one. He says he wants to be a disruptor in a Congress he calls broken.

He promises to protect Social Security. He also promises to push for a functioning health care system. He lists a balanced federal budget, secure borders and affordability for working families among his other priorities.